From Rags to Ramen
by Xynovitch
Summary: Teuchi's life sure is great. A daughter, a store that does well, and a happy life in Konoha. But was it always like that?


"Take care of our daughter," his wife, bed-ridden, pleaded. "No matter what happens. You can do that, right?"

"Don't give up, Michikina-san." His voice was coarse. A voice that lost all its strength beforehand, but was forced to sound heavy words. "Your mother said-"

"Who said anything about giving up?" With strain visible on her face, she lifted herself up, brushing off his attempts at stopping her. Leaning back, she smiled roughishly, "And who cares about what my mother says"

"Listen to me, she can save you-"

He was interrupted by a slap to his face. With his cheek stinging, he briefly looked at her in shock.

"You would throw away our love, for something as shallow as my life?"

"Your life isn't shallow, Sayori!" He shouted this. He wanted his words to hit her, to break past her stubborn view on life.

"It is. With sea urchins at the sea bed," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Besides, it's best that I die. I wouldn't want to drag us down with my misfortune."

"That man was a nutjob. There's no such thing as eternal misfortune, Sayori..." he trailed off, after seeing the sad smile brought to her face.

"The world is a strange place, dear, nothing is impossible." Like a lonely beach, her face was tranquil. It was funny, because they had met on a similar beach. A lonely one. It seemed as if no matter how much he showed his love for her, she was always alone.

"Our daughter would grow up without a mother..."

"Our daughter doesn't need a mother like me."

"Do you really think that way? Even after all this?" He whispered the last bit, resignation floating around his voice.

She looked at him, with childlike wonder dancing in her eyes. Finally, she said, "You truly are kind."

/-/

He didn't have any money. He blew all of his meager savings on Sayori, and when it wasn't enough, he found himself in debted to loan sharks. His daughter forgive him, but finding enough money for her formula was reason enough to leave her hidden away.

He lifted up the heavy wood and walked a mile and a half to reach the construction site. Sweat dripped from his forehead as the strain of carrying the heavy load exhausted his body. But he mustn't give up.

He had to do this. For his daughter and for Sayori.

After setting the wood down, he walked to the lineup of workers recieving their pay.

"Comrade! Here, your pay." A big man said to him.

"Thank you, boss-man!" Despite his exhaustion, the reward of getting his pay was enough to make him feel happy. He counted his earnings.

It was enough.

"Comrade, why don't we celebrate today. There's a new ramen shop opening around town!"

"I'll pass. Things to pay and whatnot," he said, shrugging.

"I knew you would say that, so I'll give you something to go after. Come celebrate with me and I'll give you a little extra, how's that?"

"Well, I wouldn't say no to more money."

/-/

"So he's the guy?" The ramen stand owner raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, comrade cook!"

"I see. He doesn't look like much to be honest with you."

"He knows how to cook well, try and test him." The man with logs for arms put the thin man in front of the chef, grinning broadly.

This was not what he expected when his boss said 'a little extra'. A stable job was the least of his expectations.

"Boy," the old man commanded. "What cooking experience do you have?"

Looking back, he saw his boss smile encouragingly at him. Gulping, he said, "I was the Michikina family chef."

The chef's eyebrows rose past his almost non-existent hairline. "Michikina family? You were the chef they fired?"

"Y-yes."

"Boy. I don't want to know why they fired you, or even what you've done to make them fire you. The Michikina doesn't just pick chefs from a catalogue."

The old man stared at him intensely for a moment. "That said. I want you to throw away any recipes you might have in your head. None of them matter when making ramen."

"Got it." he felt relieved when the man's eyes left his.

"Besides, any man who banged the Michikina family daughter is a man I can trust with my life! Perverts are the most loyal in the world!"

And with that, any semblance of respect he had for the old man was swept up by the broom of absurdity, and thrown into the trash bin.

/-/

"I'm leaving this ramen stand to you."

"You're leaving the ramen stand to me?"

"Chicks don't go for a landed guy like me, so do whatever you want with this stand! It's yours now!"

That wasn't a big of a shock as he thought. He practically lived in the stand with his daughter. He also managed to pay off his debts. Having a stable job and not a huge debt made it easier.

"I guess this shop is mine now."

/-/

In the end, he sold the shop. It wasn't getting any business because of the cafes that opened up on his street. So he did the sensible thing and dismantled the shop wood by wood, while selling the land it stood on.

He managed to get a great deal with a travelling real-estate agent for a plot in Konoha, and was planning to move there some time soon.

He leaned on the wooden cart filled with the wood of his old shop, while the sun beat down its warm rays overhead. His eyes closed as he felt the breeze carry his back.

"Papa, papa!" His daughter shuffled to the ground next to him.

"Yes?"

"When are we going to arrive in Konoha?" she asked. Her eyes filled with mischief as she knew that that question was asked many a time. She was his mother's daughter, through and through.

"Soon, dear, soon." he said, with the resignation he saved for his wife.

"Well, I'm bored! So I made a crown of flowers and I want you to be the fairy lordess Titania!"

"In a minute, Ayame."

"Aww."


End file.
